This week was relatively light in regards to council responsibilities - and after our east coast tour last week I needed some downtime! :-) Along with answering loads of email and a few meetings, I also had the pleasure of meeting Mary Jean Eisenhower, granddaughter of our 34th President Dwight D. Eisenhower. I was also privileged to attend the 8th Annual Diwali Festival at Koka Booth Amphitheater.
Most folks typically hate Mondays -and I am no exception. That's why I decided to shake it up a bit and do something fun for a change. I went to go visit my good friends at the dentist. I mean, nothing says "fun" like sitting upside down in a chair while two lovely ladies with power tools rearrange the inside of your mouth right? I even got a new toothbrush after it was all said and done - how cool is that??? :-(
On Tuesday - when I could finally feel the left side of my face and could control the drooling - I met with long time Cary resident and businessman Roy Mashburn. This was an informal meeting in which he presented his thoughts and concerns on Cary's future - especially relating to issues with the condition of our nation's economy. I in turn spoke to his concerns, as well as my vision for the future of Cary. It was a good meeting.
That evening I watched the Presidential Debate between Barack Obama and John McCain. I can sum up my thoughts on this debate in one word: BORING. I learned nothing new about either candidate or their positions, and quite frankly after their pathetic performances I now think LESS about the both of them than I did before the debate. I want a refund. :-) Seriously - can we have a "do over" with the primaries or something?
On Thursday Mayor Weinbrecht, Councilor Adcock and myself, along with key members of our town staff met with business owners in the downtown area regarding parking issues pertaining to the downtown streetscape project. It was a very productive meeting and I am optimistic that we are much closer to a solution than we have been in the past.
On Friday I met for lunch with Cary's Sister Cities Commission and Mary Jean Eisenhower at the Page Walker Hotel. Mrs. Eisenhower is the President and CEO of People to People International (PTPI), an organization founded by her grandfather President Dwight D. Eisenhower over 50 years ago. The purpose of PTPI is to enhance international understanding and friendship through educational, cultural, and humanitarian activities involving the exchange of ideas and experiences directly among peoples of different countries and diverse cultures. They cooperate with any and all organizations of similar nature and purpose. Our Sister Cities Commission is one of those organizations. Being a history buff, the highlight for me was listening to Mrs. Eisenhower speak about her life experiences growing up the granddaughter of a President. It also reminded me of my time as a child with my grandfather - a career Marine and WWII veteran. I could listen to him tell stories for hours, and as soon as he would finish one we would beg for another.
Friday afternoon I met with members of the Cary PD and a concerned resident over issues they are experiencing in their neighborhood.
On Saturday I had the honor of officially beginning the Diwali Festival by reading a proclamation designating October 11, 2008 as the 8th Cary Diwali Celebration. Diwali is the Indian celebration of good versus evil. It is a festive occasion celebrated in almost all regions of India and it is looked upon as the beginning of the new year. Over 10,000 people attended this day long event at Cary's Koka Booth Amphitheater. The folks from Hum Sub were very gracious hosts and spent a great deal of time educating me on India's history, the meaning behind Diwali, and even convinced me to sample some of the food...which I did...which was great! This was a beautiful event, and all the performances were wonderful. I can't wait until next year's event!
Well that's about it for this week in review and as always, thanks for reading. Tune in again next week - same bat time, same bat channel! :-)
